Seriously, Is There Anything You Can't Do!?

For the past several months, you've been working diligently at mastering the art of the violin. Yes, of course there were notes off key and scratches that sounded like a cat dying of leukemia. And yes, there were moments of frustration and disillusionment. 

However, you didn't give up. And by the end of the semester you were the best in your class. 

I remember something you told me that beautifully sums up the depth of your character. You said, "Daddy, can you believe it... there are some people who just pretend like they are are playing but they really aren't. They are afraid they will make a mistake!?" 

You were so upset about this. 

And it reminded me of when I was in 7th grade and I played in the clarinet 1 Christmas concert. I only knew how to hit 1 note! So for the rest of the concert I just pretended to play along, while everyone else carried the weight of the sound. 

I was too afraid. 

But not you. 

Finding Your Voice

Ambria, my shining star... Tonight you completely owned the stage. It was your first real performance in front of a large crowd, and you were absolutely amazing as "Mary Beth", one of Ralphie's friends in the fall production of A Christmas Story at Holland High School.

I remember sitting next to you at Holland Civic Theatre, when Mariah was crushing School House Rock. You admitted that you were a little jealous (although happy for her!) that Mariah seemed to get all of the attention. You watched Mariah take the stage in Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty-Bang Bang, and other productions... and you waited for you your turn.

Tonight, it was your turn. You had us laughing, captivated! Your facial expressions, dancing, and vocal dimensions were on. point. At one moment you locked eyes with me in the second row, and tried not to break character - still a smile formed on your lips. You knew I was proud. And then, in a flash, you snapped back into character and continued performing. Like a boss!

This has also been a great experience because the younger actors were paired with a mentor from the high school. And of course, Mariah was your bond. She helped you with notes, feedback, quick changes, and blocking. She encouraged you, and bragged about how well her younger sister was doing. Mariah also told me about how much fun she was having with you through the entire production.

I am sO happy that you are finding your voice. Your self-confidence has soared, and you are realizing that you are not just "Mariah's younger sister", rather - you are becoming your very own force to be reckoned with!

And most importantly, you are having a BLAST!